The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation is working towards creating an Association of Sports Organisations, and has had the offer from Russia of staging the first SCO Games ©Getty Images

Russia, largely frozen out of international sport since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, is proposing to host the first Games involving countries who are part of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).

The SCO, a political, economic, international security and defence organisation, consists of Russia, China, India, Pakistan and the Central Asian former Soviet states of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

Iran is in the process of joining, and currently one of three observers, along with Belarus - Russia's main ally in the war in Ukraine - Afghanistan and Mongolia.

The initiative was put forward by Russian Sports Minister Oleg Matytsin in Delhi at a meeting involving all eight SCO member nations.

Matytsin stressed that Russia's experience of hosting major international sporting events will enable SCO athletes of any level and format to compete.

"We suggest considering the venue of the Russian Federation as a possible host country for the SCO Games in coordination with the SCO chair country for the next calendar period," he said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested at a summit in the Uzbekistan city of Samarkand in September that the SCO could create an Association of Sports Organisations and stage "major sporting events."

The meeting participants also discussed the possibility of establishing such a body.

Russian Sports Minister Oleg Matytsin has proposed that Russia hosts the first Games involving countries who are part of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation ©Getty Images
Russian Sports Minister Oleg Matytsin has proposed that Russia hosts the first Games involving countries who are part of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation ©Getty Images

"Sports cooperation in the SCO region has a rich potential and develops in the spirit of true partnership, mutual respect and absence of any form of discrimination," Matytsin added.

"The meeting of SCO Sports Ministers is held for the second time, and it becomes a platform for direct and open dialogue.

"Our common task is to ensure that athletes and major international competitions do not become the object of political games.

"This is possible only on condition of equality and respect among all participants.

"I propose to counteract these destructive trends and jointly form common legal and political mechanisms to protect the rights of athletes in the SCO region.

"The association may be focused on strengthening ties in development of Olympic, non-Olympic, Paralympic and national sports.

"The association will promote sports events among the SCO member states.

"The Russian side has drafted regulations for the working group, which is needed to deepen co-operation in sports within the SCO.

"This may be a standing body responsible, among other things, for the preparation and staging of sporting events such as the SCO Games."

Matytsin also invited the delegations of the meeting's participants to take part in other sports and official events due to be held in Russia, such as the International University Sports Festival in Yekaterinburg in 2023, The Games of the Future in Kazan in 2024 and the Russia-Islamic World Forum in Kazan.